Usacomplaints.com » Miscellaneous » Complaint / Review: Gulf Bay INC - Consumer Report. #876506

Complaint / Review
Gulf Bay INC
Consumer Report

On Thursday last week, i received a call a 9:30am in the morning from a young woman telling me how i had just been entered to win $3,000, 000, they claimed to be licensed with Visa or my bank. Said i get a free Diamond gold mens watch for being entered into the sweepstakes and i also get a pick of 5 different magazines for free for 4 months. Then all of a sudden those magazines went from free to $5 a week, with no explanation. At this time i still thought ok this is a good deal. The woman then transferred me over to a man who claimed to be Alanzo her supervisor. This man was rude and pushy, at times and patient in others. Eventually, his act led to getting my name, phone, DOB, and my credit card digits. I realize ya that was dumb, I dont know WTF i was thinking. As soon as he got these digits, he began to scam me into a $49.99 a month for 60 months deal, which i refused. He said i cant go back, my order was already sent, we argued for a while, I got him to reduce it down to 25.99 a month for 45months, (also ridiculous amount of money for magazines.) He then had me verify this info with a recorder. I asked for his name he gave me alanzo, and his number witch was of course "fake". 10 minutes later i realized i f*ed up big time, i canceled my card out immediately. I also discovered that an unauthorized 49.99 had been deducted... Not the price i agreed upon... And why would a magazine company need me to pay upfront like this... They never once mentioned the word contract or agreement, yet i blindly just signed up for 3years of overpriced magazines that i dont get for three months. I reviewed other peoples complaints and saw that its impossible to cancel your subscription... Even though this was never mentioned by alanzo! I also found out that This diamond mens watch wasnt really diamond... Diamond is the brands name... Clever... How clever... He also promised me a $50 gift card... Ill prob never get that. People who do try to cancel their subscription get threatening letters and mail, saying that they will ruin their credit and report you to collections. And even better, once your subscription for your amazing magazines are up, they threaten you to reup your subscription, or you guessed it "we will ruin you credit"... So anyway, I got their letter 2days later. It stated the price at which i agreed upon in bold and how long i agreed upon it... I mailed it back and wrote the date and cancle subscription. They wanted my signature at the bottom, like i was part of some contract. I later looked up some RCW And Florida codes which is where they are from.in washington, could be guilty of RCW (9A. 60.030)- obtaining a signature by deception or duress... Signature can also mean saying my name orally over the phone.

(1) A person is guilty of obtaining a signature by deception or duress if by deception or duress and with intent to defraud or deprive he or she causes another person to sign or execute a written instrument. Alanzo also lied about being licenced with my bank, or visa or whatever it was.

CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION IN THE 1st DEGREE (1) A person is guilty of criminal impersonation in the first degree if the person:

(a) Assumes a false identity and does an act in his or her assumed character with intent to defraud another or for any other unlawful purpose; or

(b) Pretends to be a representative of some person or organization or a public servant and does an act in his or her pretended capacity with intent to defraud another or for any other unlawful purpose.

(2) Criminal impersonation in the first degree is a class C felony.

Under Florida Statue-817.03? Making false statement to obtain property or credit.—Any person who shall make or cause to be made any false statement, in writing, relating to his or her financial condition, assets or liabilities, or relating to the financial condition, assets or liabilities of any firm or corporation in which such person has a financial interest, or for whom he or she is acting, with a fraudulent intent of obtaining credit, goods, money or other property, and shall by such false statement obtain credit, goods, money or other property, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in

817.034? Florida Communications Fraud Act.—
(1)? Legislative intent.—
(a)? The Legislature recognizes that schemes to defraud have proliferated in the United States in recent years and that many operators of schemes to defraud use communications technology to solicit victims and thereby conceal their identities and overcome a victim’s normal resistance to sales pressure by delivering a personalized sales message.
(b)? It is the intent of the Legislature to prevent the use of communications technology in furtherance of schemes to defraud by consolidating former statutes concerning schemes to defraud and organized fraud to permit prosecution of these crimes utilizing the legal precedent available under federal mail and wire fraud statutes.
(2)? SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida Communications Fraud Act.”
(3)? DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
(a)? “Communicate” means to transmit or transfer or to cause another to transmit or transfer signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligences of any nature in whole or in part by mail, or by wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, or photooptical system.
(b)? “Obtain” means temporarily or permanently to deprive any person of the right to property or a benefit therefrom, or to appropriate the property to one’s own use or to the use of any other person not entitled thereto.
(c)? “Property” means anything of value, and includes:
1.? Real property, including things growing on, affixed to, or found in land;
2.? Tangible or intangible personal property, including rights, privileges, interests, and claims; and
3.? Services.
(d)? “Scheme to defraud” means a systematic, ongoing course of conduct with intent to defraud one or more persons, or with intent to obtain property from one or more persons by false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises or willful misrepresentations of a future act.
(e)? “Value” means value determined according to any of the following:
1. A.? The market value of the property at the time and place of the offense, or, if such cannot be satisfactorily ascertained, the cost of replacement of the property within a reasonable time after the offense.
B.? The value of a written instrument that does not have a readily ascertainable market value, in the case of an instrument such as a check, draft, or promissory note, is the amount due or collectible or is, in the case of any other instrument which creates, releases, discharges, or otherwise affects any valuable legal right, privilege, or obligation, the greatest amount of economic loss that the owner of the instrument might reasonably suffer by virtue of the loss of the instrument.
C.? The value of a trade secret that does not have a readily ascertainable market value is any reasonable value representing the damage to the owner, suffered by reason of losing an advantage over those who do not know of or use the trade secret.
2.? If the value of property cannot be ascertained, the trier of fact may find the value to be not less than a certain amount; if no such minimum value can be ascertained, the value is an amount less than $300.
3.? Amounts of value of separate properties obtained in one scheme to defraud, whether from the same person or from several persons, shall be aggregated in determining the grade of the offense under paragraph (4) (a).
(4)? Offenses.—
(a)? Any person who engages in a scheme to defraud and obtains property thereby is guilty of organized fraud, punishable as follows:
1.? If the amount of property obtained has an aggregate value of $50,000 or more, the violator is guilty of a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
2.? If the amount of property obtained has an aggregate value of $20,000 or more, but less than $50,000, the violator is guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
3.? If the amount of property obtained has an aggregate value of less than $20,000, the violator is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
(b)? Any person who engages in a scheme to defraud and, in furtherance of that scheme, communicates with any person with intent to obtain property from that person is guilty, for each such act of communication, of communications fraud, punishable as follows:
1.? If the value of property obtained or endeavored to be obtained by the communication is valued at $300 or more, the violator is guilty of a third degree felony, punishable as set forth in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.
2.? If the value of the property obtained or endeavored to be obtained by the communication is valued at less than $300, the violator is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as set forth in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(c)? Notwithstanding any contrary provisions of law, separate judgments and sentences for organized fraud under paragraph (a) and for each offense of communications fraud under paragraph (b) may be imposed when all such offenses involve the same scheme to defraud.

817.06? Misleading advertisements prohibited; penalty.—
(1)? No person, persons, association, copartnership, or institution shall, with intent to offer or sell or in anywise dispose of merchandise, securities, certificates, diplomas, documents, or other credentials purporting to reflect proficiency in any trade, skill, profession, credits for academic achievement, service or anything offered by such person, persons, association, copartnership, corporation, or institution directly or indirectly, to the public, for sale or distribution or issuance, or with intent to increase the consumption or use thereof, or with intent to induce the public in any manner to enter into any obligation relating thereto, or to acquire title thereto, or any interest therein, or ownership thereof, knowingly or intentionally make, publish, disseminate, circulate or place before the public, or cause, directly or indirectly, to be made, published, disseminated or circulated or placed before the public in this state in a newspaper or other publication or in the form of a book, notice, handbill, poster, bill, circular, pamphlet or letter or in any other way, an advertisement of any sort regarding such certificate, diploma, document, credential, academic credits, merchandise, security, service or anything so offered to the public, which advertisement contains any assertion, representation or statement which is untrue, deceptive, or misleading.
(2)? Any person, persons, association, copartnership, corporation, or institution found guilty of a violation of subsection (1) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

817.061? Misleading solicitation of payments prohibited.—
(1)? It is unlawful for any person, company, corporation, agency, association, partnership, institution, or charitable entity to solicit payment of money by another by means of a statement or invoice, or any writing that would reasonably be interpreted as a statement or invoice, for goods not yet ordered or for services not yet performed and not yet ordered, unless there appears on the face of the statement or invoice or writing in 30-point boldfaced type the following warning:
“This is a solicitation for the order of goods or services, and you are under no obligation to make payment unless you accept the offer contained herein.”
(2)? Any person damaged by noncompliance with this section, in addition to other remedies, is entitled to damages in the amount equal to 3 times the sum solicited.
(3)? Any person, company, corporation, agency, association, partnership, institution, or charitable entity that violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in

817.415? Florida Free Gift Advertising Law.—
(1)? Legislative intent.—
(a)? The Legislature of the State of Florida recognizes that the deceptive misuse of the term “free” and words of similar meaning and intent in advertising by the unscrupulous has resulted in deception of consumers, leading them unknowingly to assume contractual obligations which were initially concealed by the deception.
(b)? It is the intent of the Legislature to prevent such deception by requiring disclosure of all contingent conditions, obligations, or considerations in any form in connection with the advertising of goods or services using the term “free” or words of similar meaning and intent.
(c)? It is not the intent of the Legislature to prohibit the use of gifts in legitimate promotions of trade so long as the advertising of such gifts and promotions makes full disclosure of any requirement for purchase or contractual obligations to be assumed in order to qualify for the gift.
(2)? SHORT TITLE.—This act may be cited as the “Florida Free Gift Advertising Law.”
(3)? DEFINITIONS.—As used in this act:
(a)? “Person” includes an individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other entity doing business in the state.
(b)? “Free” includes the use of terms such as “awarded, ” “prize, ” “absolutely without charge, ” “free of charge, ” and words or groups of words of similar intent which reasonably lead a person to believe that he or she may receive, or has been selected to receive, something of value, entirely or in part without a requirement of compensation in any form from the recipient.
(c)? “Item” means goods, services, or any tangible or intangible thing of value and the rights therein.
(d)? “Advertisement” and “advertising” includes every form of communication which offers for sale, or attempts to induce the creation of obligations in exchange for, any item or rights therein.
(4)? RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF WORD “FREE.”—Any item or portion of an item unconditionally offered as “free” shall in fact be free, without obligation or requirement of consideration in any form, when accepted in writing within the time limit set forth in the advertisement or within a reasonable time, if no time limit is so set. However, any person so receiving and accepting such offer may be required to pay any necessary transportation or delivery charges directly to the United States Postal Service or other regulated public carrier.
(5)? REQUIREMENTS FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.—Advertising in which items are offered as free with conditions or obligations necessary to acceptance shall include a clear and conspicuous statement of any such conditions or obligations and advertising in compliance herewith shall not be considered deceptive.
(6)? VIOLATIONS.—Any violation of this section is declared to be a deceptive trade practice and unlawful.
(7)? INJUNCTIONS.—The Commissioner of Agriculture or the Attorney General may bring an action for injunction to prohibit practices in violation of this law, and any such injunction shall be issued without bond. Such suit may be brought in any circuit court of this state having jurisdiction over the party or parties defendant.

817.44? Intentional false advertising prohibited.—
(1)? WHAT CONSTITUTES INTENTIONAL FALSE ADVERTISING.—It is unlawful to offer for sale or to issue invitations for offers for the sale of any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, or any services, professional or otherwise, by placing or causing to be placed before the general public, by any means whatever, an advertisement describing such property or services as part of a plan or scheme with the intent not to sell such property or services so advertised, or with the intent not to sell such property or services at the price at which it was represented in the advertisement to be available for purchase by any member of the general public.
(2)? PRESUMPTION OF VIOLATION.—The failure to sell any article or a class of articles advertised, or the refusal to sell at the price at which it was advertised to be available for purchase, shall create a rebuttable presumption of an intent to violate this section.
(3)? EXEMPTION.—This section shall not apply to any publisher of a newspaper, magazine or other publication, or the owner or operator of a radio station, television station or other advertising media, who places before the public an advertisement in good faith without knowledge that the person so engaging or hiring such owner, operator, or publisher has the intent not to sell the property or services so advertised or with the intent not to sell such property or services at the price at which it was represented in the advertisement to be available for purchase by any member of the general public.
(2)

817.60? Theft; obtaining credit card through fraudulent means.—
(1)? THEFT BY TAKING OR RETAINING POSSESSION OF CARD TAKEN.—A person who takes a credit card from the person, possession, custody, or control of another without the cardholder’s consent or who, with knowledge that it has been so taken, receives the credit card with intent to use it, to sell it, or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder is guilty of credit card theft and is subject to the penalties set forth in s. 817.67 (1). Taking a credit card without consent includes obtaining it by conduct defined or known as statutory larceny, common-law larceny by trespassory taking, common-law larceny by trick or embezzlement or obtaining property by false pretense, false promise or extortion.
(2)? THEFT OF CREDIT CARD LOST, MISLAID, OR DELIVERED BY MISTAKE.—A person who receives a credit card that he or she knows to have been lost, mislaid, or delivered under a mistake as to the identity or address of the cardholder and who retains possession with intent to use it, to sell it, or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder is guilty of credit card theft and is subject to the penalties set forth in s. 817.67 (1).
(3)? PURCHASE OR SALE OF CREDIT CARD OF ANOTHER.—A person other than the issuer who sells a credit card or a person who buys a credit card from a person other than the issuer violates this subsection and is subject to the penalties set forth in s. 817.67 (1).
(4)? OBTAINING CONTROL OF CREDIT CARD AS SECURITY FOR DEBT.—A person who, with intent to defraud the issuer, a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value, or any other person, obtains control over a credit card as security for a debt violates this subsection and is subject to the penalties set forth in s. 817.67 (1).
(5)? DEALING IN CREDIT CARDS OF ANOTHER.—A person other than the issuer who, during any 12-month period, receives two or more credit cards issued in the name or names of different cardholders, which cards he or she has reason to know were taken or retained under circumstances which constitute credit card theft or a violation of this part, violates this subsection and is subject to the penalties set forth in s. 817.67 (2).
(6)? Forgery of credit card.—
(a)? A person who, with intent to defraud a purported issuer or a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value or any other person, falsely makes, falsely embosses, or falsely alters in any manner a credit card or utters such a credit card or who, with intent to defraud, has a counterfeit credit card or any invoice, voucher, sales draft, or other representation or manifestation of a counterfeit credit card in his or her possession, custody, or control is guilty of credit card forgery and is subject to the penalties set forth in s. 817.67 (2).
(b)? A person other than an authorized manufacturer or issuer who possesses two or more counterfeit credit cards is presumed to have violated this subsection.
(c)? A person falsely makes a credit card when he or she makes or draws in whole or in part a device or instrument which purports to be the cre


Offender: Gulf Bay INC

Country: USA

Category: Miscellaneous

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